The Cubs are one of the better teams in the National League this year. Their 50-35 record leaves them tied with the Phillies for the second seed in the NL, and they’ve led their division since April 4 without interruption. Much of that can be attributed to an excellent offense headlined by the offseason addition of Kyle Tucker and the breakout of Pete Crow-Armstrong. With that being said, they lost some steam in the month of June after posting a 13-13 record and watching their lead in the NL Central shrink to just two games.
Between their strong start to the season and their fading lead in the division, Chicago figures to be one of the more aggressive buyers in the game this summer. Most of the focus has been on starting pitching, and for good reason. Shota Imanaga remains a steady front-of-the-rotation arm and Matthew Boyd has been a revelation this year with a 2.65 ERA in 17 starts, but the loss of Justin Steele at the top of the Cubs’ rotation has been felt deeply. Jameson Taillon (85 ERA+), Colin Rea (87 ERA+), and Cade Horton (79 ERA+) have all pitched to middling results even by the standards of a back-of-the-rotation arm, while Ben Brown’s ERA ballooned to 6.13 before he was optioned to Triple-A upon Imanaga’s return from a hamstring strain last week.
Considering that Boyd’s 98 2/3 innings of work is already his highest total since 2019, adding a rotation arm or two is a slam-dunk for this team. That obvious need could be overshadowing another major hole for the Cubs, however. It’s somewhat bold to suggest the team that leads all of baseball in position player fWAR (18.9) and has the third most potent offense in baseball (116 wRC+) could be a bat short, but Chicago has gotten -0.3 fWAR from the third base position this year. That’s the worst figure in baseball, and the team’s 62 wRC+ at the hot corner is ahead of only the Reds and Marlins. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic made a strong case for the Cubs to add another hitter to the lineup earlier this week, and third base is the natural position for Chicago to upgrade.
2023 first-rounder Matt Shaw is currently holding down the for at the position. Grades on Shaw’s defense are mixed, as he has -1 Outs Above Average but +5 Defensive Runs Saved. That latter figure trails only Ke’Bryan Hayes, Ernie Clement, and Caleb Durbin this year. Even if the more optimistic view of Shaw’s defense is taken, however, his offense has been lackluster with a .221/.305/.315 (80 wRC+) in 203 plate appearances this year. He was optioned to the minors for about a month earlier this season, but even since returning his 89 wRC+ is well-below league average. The club’s internal options behind Shaw are uninspiring at best. Vidal Brujan has a wRC+ of 9 this year in a bench role with the team, meaning he’s been 91 below league average offensively. Jon Berti’s wRC+ of 42 is only marginally better. While Justin Turner has improved after an ice cold start to the year, he still carries a wRC+ of just 62 on the season and is overmatched defensively at third base in his age-40 season.
There should be clear upgrades available this summer, if the Cubs are inclined to pursue them. Eugenio Suarez of the Diamondbacks looks like the best bat potentially available at any position, and he’s already clubbed 26 homers as the everyday third baseman in Arizona. Willi Castro is enjoying what could be a career year on the Twins (122 wRC+) and can play all over the diamond, including third base. Even a bench or platoon option could be a substantial improvement given the production of Chicago’s reserves. Ryan McMahon and Hayes have both gotten some trade buzz this summer, but both players are below-average hitters on underwater contracts. More palatable choices who could theoretically be available include Amed Rosario of the Nationals, Ramon Urias of the Orioles, and Abraham Toro of the Red Sox.
It’s hard to argue with the notion that the Cubs could make themselves a better team by adding a third baseman, or at least another infielder who can help carry the load at third base. With that being said, resources are finite. The Cubs’ once-vaunted farm system has taken hits due to the graduations of players like Crow-Armstrong, Shaw, and Horton, trades for Tucker and Michael Busch, and tough seasons for some top prospects like James Triantos. They still have a fairly robust group of near big league ready talent to trade from, but it could be hard to part with Owen Caissie as long as the possibility of Tucker leaving in free agency this winter remains on the table.
Trading for help on offense would necessarily require using capital that otherwise could have been spent to add another starter. Perhaps targeting a less expensive bench contributor could be a way to add infield help without compromising the club’s ability to go after a big name rotation add or two like Sandy Alcantara, Merrill Kelly, or Mitch Keller, but it could be hard for the Cubs to justify spending resources on another bat to further bolster an offense that has averaged more than five runs per game this season.
How do MLBTR readers view Chicago’s third base situation? Should the Cubs be aggressive in trying to add a starting third baseman to supplant Shaw down the stretch? Should they stick with their current offense and focus entirely on adding pitching? Or perhaps they should try to bolster their depth with a low-cost bench addition? Have your say in the poll below:
They should trade for Ke’Bryan Hayes. Not because he’d help, but because I’m tired of watching him.
Cubs should trade with Pirates for Bailey and/or Keller. Ballesteros would be part of the return.
Okay, but you have to take Jason Heyward in return. He’s no longer on the team, but he still exhausts me, and I feel like there should be consequences to both sides of this trade.
Deal Expat. Sold me at ‘okay’ lol.
Okay, hear me out…
He sucks, no thx
Duh…. That’s kind of my point.
That’s quite ok, you can just keep him
Nah. Otherwise that would defeat the purpose of my comment.
The Mariners could dangle Miles Mastrobuoni, but it’s really gonna cost ya.
Miles and 2 tickets behind home plate Sept 9th for Hayes and a Mac Miller bobblehead final offer.
Get two starters not from fish and one reliever. No position players needed.
They have nothing on the bench and need an upgrade there. And waiting for Shaw to hit may be too risky for Hoyer. I wouldn’t be surprised if Suarez, at least one starter, and a reliever are added as well as another bench bat.
Fish can keep Alcantara. He’s been pathetic.
Getting a better third baseman might be even more important than adding pitching. The offense is already regressing, for observable reasons (PCA’s swing, Swanson’s limitations, others) and it will drop further from here. Eugenio Saurez would be perfect; there are others who would be good.
Agree, although Kelly heating up and Amaya will be back soon. PCA should get hot again and dandy can only go up. Busch has been great, time to DFA turner and let Busch play 95% of the games.
Arizona wants to play for it, they are putting together the offense without Corbin Carroll and are getting good pitching from Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt, Gallen had a good start yesterday.
I think they have the offense and the starting pitching to make a run at it even without Burnes but the bullpen has been an issue.
It’s an interesting situation in Arizona.
I don’t think the Marlins should trade any pitching either, only their bullpen arms. Alcanata, Cabrera and Perez at the top next season. They’ve shown that they can hit and score runs, with Meyer and Weathers injury history, I think they have to keep Alcanatara around and pass on more prospects.
Ozuna from the braves is available.
He play a lot of 3B?
Challenge trade: PCA for Cam Smith.
Not a cub fan, but my friends are always griping about their pitching, so that’s how I voted.
The pitching hasn’t been that bad or they wouldn’t have the record that they have or the run differential. Do they need a good starter? Sure no one has stepped up and been as good as Steele
Agree 16. Every team could use another starting pitcher. The Cubs bullpen is lights out!! The Cubs need another bat. Cam Smith sure would help.
Somehow, Someway- PLEASE, something to get Swansons bat, NO higher than 7th or 8th in the lineup. Nico would be more effective batting in the spot, that Swanson has been occupying.
I’m not sure what the value would be in just trading for a bat. Are the bats they currently use not that effective? Plus, I don’t think they need to just trade for a bat. Just visit your local sports shop and buy a few bats. Problem solved.
I got a few ash trees in the back I could cut down. Better yet if one of them gets struck by lightning.
I hear there are these new magic bats that look like a torpedo they could look into.
Shaw is still green and Suarez playing there would allow Shaw to go to the bench and learn. It also allows them to drop Berti from the roster.
You don’t want green bats. That means the would is still wet and soft. You want seasoned, dry wood for your bats.
Agree cubfan16…Shaw to the bench also gives an option to give Nico or Dansby a day off every once in a while. He can start games where Berti can’t.
Getting Suarez also slots him into the 5 hole and moves Dansby down. Baseball has evolved into batting orders that have to be left-right-left-right so you don’t get stacked in late innings so Dansby “now” is the best option to hit between PCA and Busch. Also, if they make the playoffs gives the home run threat that usually decides games.
They also desperately need someone, anyone other than Brujan that can play center field off the bench and in case of PCA emergency. Left handed hitter preferred. (Tauchman would be cheap)
And can obviously improve on right handed hitting first baseman as 25th or 26th guy.
Last two are get a little better with guys you don’t use, but Suarez really improves the lineup even more, with the caveat you have to live with the strikeouts.
Cubs get:
Suarez
Gallen
Kelly
Miller
—
Arizona Gets:
Horton
Wiggins
Kipp
Shaw
Ballesteros
Brethowr
Terrible trade for Cubs, 4 Top 10 Prospects for that pile of crap. The only one worth a damn is Kelly
Gallen plus 5 ERA
Miller just straight Garbage
And Yes Saurez hits bombs or strikes out
Id rather just stick with Shaw
Id agree, I’m hoping somebody empties the Cubs farm system.
I dont agree on Miller being garbage, he has pitched in many high leverage spots this season and has pitched well. He has strike out stuff and is only 35 years old, he has a few seasons left in his arm and should be a good reliever for whomever signs him in FA. He should get paid next season.
Suarez is also worth a top prospect but I think he likes it in AZ and wont be happy with a trade.
Honestly the cubs could take a flyer on Trey Mancini since he’s a free agent now.
been there, done that.
Pass
Willi Castro and Chris Paddack?
They got fleeced in the Tucker trade, they’ll deplete the farm system in trades and will still fall short in their all or nothing gamble. Tucker will leave and the Cubs will fall into the basement. The lowly bottom feeder White Sox have a brighter future two years down the road, if there’s a season after 2026
Isn’t that what they said when the Cubs “depleted” their farm system in 16-17? And that the White Sox were building a long term contender?
You are an incredible downer CC.
Are you really this salty or just trolling?
It’s not even a creative troll job. Sox won’t have a chance of sniffing 0.500 til ‘28 or ‘29. Wish those morons would stick a White Sox posts.
The white Sox are 5-7 years away from being competitive. So you’re immediately wrong.
The White Sox won’t be competitive until Reinsdorf is dead and gone.
will be if you get rid of that Fin robot ump entirely, get rid of Tony Clark too, he represents Scott Boras and TV better than he does the players.
Trade for Suarez and get ready for souvenir city
Suarez is a familiar name and he’s played plenty of games at Wrigley from his time with the Reds. Although he’s probably going to be a hot commodity…
Trade for Urias and Mullins from Orioles a d maybe even Dominguez for bullpen
Do a 3 for 3 deal with Orioles getting 3 of cu s top 20 prospects in return
Top 20 as in 12th-20th ranked prospects.
porter hodge, brett bateman and brandon birdsell
If the Os are going for it in 2026, I’m hoping they keep Mullins and Urias. Two vets with steady predictable play. Nice to have as the young guns continue to get comfortable with the grind..
mullins is a free agent
Yes. Ced is a free agent. I’d extend him before offering an extension to the youngins. Urias too.
Whatever and whoever, they need help no matter the position. Their team as currently stands do not have enough to go far even if they make playoffs!
Suarez and Kelly from Azl then Lugo and Esteves from KC
Make anyone on Iowa available plus Hodge on the roster.
Lower level they have some interesting players also.
Focus on pitching. That needs to be the priority at hand. If they can’t get Eugenio Suarez then great but don’t sell the farm for a bat. The bench needs a major improvement though. Vidal Brujan and Jon Berti aren’t going to strike fear into Kyle Hendricks let alone Yoshi Yamamoto.
You guys I wouldn’t trust Tailon in the playoffs (or the stretch run for that matter) for as far as I can throw him. His first half was magical but I just don’t think it’s sustainable. I’ve seen him blow up too many times with other clubs. And that was when he was younger.
And that bat should not be a Suarez but a scrappy singles hitter with speed and high OBP. If they do make playoffs, they’ll need speed and not home run hitters especially in october evening when the temperature drops.
Hahaha-they don’t have enough pitching. So Cub
On another topic, but not really: Cam Smith is a young Bill Madlock. Except Madlock wasn’t a star in the majors 11 months after he was drafted. Smith’s success is virtually unprecedented.
I suppose the Astros insisted that he be in the trade. But wouldn’t it be something if they had wanted Shaw, and Hoyer convinced them to take Smith instead? We don’t KNOW, but would any of us really be surprised to find out that that was so? Hoyer has shown himself to be that clueless in the past.
Why does counsell continue to be infatuated with Swanson batting 4th or 5th every day? Is it because of his high pay and or hurting his feelings as a veteran?
Yes. And nonsense about handedness.
Dansby is best on team for not putting bat on ball with less than two outs and runner on 3rd!
He’d be better off batting Nico there, home run power or not.
No
Busch. Or, better, Suarez.
Or why has no one mentioned Maikel Garcia?